Childminder in West Northamptonshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/04/2014 26/01/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 The relationship between the childminder and children is positive, and children are settled and happy.  Children speak clearly and confidently. The childminder promotes language development appropriately as she talks with them.  The childminder successfully identifies and minimises risks in her home and garden.  Information initially obtained from parents on what their child already knows and can do is thorough.

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It is not yet good because

 Planning for next steps to ensure that all children make best progress is not fully effective. Planning for group activities does not always address children's different stages of development so that all children are interested and engaged. Physical development is not fully promoted.  Parents are not informed of a use of mobile phones and cameras policy, and the childminder is unaware of the Government document 'Working Together to Protect Children'.  Monitoring and self-evaluation in order to identify improvements is not embedded in practice. The partnership with other early years providers is not fully effective in ensuring continuity of learning for all children.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities as children played in the ground floor play areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, policies and procedures and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder, her assistant and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of training completed by the childminder and her assistant, the childminder's suitability and the suitability of the assistant and family members.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives in Brackley, Northamptonshire with her husband and adult son and daughter. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. The bathroom is on the first floor. An enclosed garden is used for outdoor play. The family has three dogs. The childminder is currently caring for 16 children, of these, 12 are aged under eight years. There are 11 early years children on roll, of these, two attend reception class in school. Most children attend on a part-time basis. The childminder works with her husband who is a registered full-time assistant. The childminder and her assistant walk with and/or transport children to and from local schools and pre-schools. They care for children all year round, Monday to Friday, from 8am until 6pm.

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must:

 extend safeguarding knowledge by gaining an awareness of the Government's statutory guidance 'Working Together to Safeguard Children', and make sure parents are aware of the policy on the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting

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must:

 ensure that assessment of what children know and can do is used consistently and effectively to plan for the next steps in their learning, so that they are helped to make best progress, and ensure that group activities are planned to ensure all children are involved.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 ensure that fully effective links are established and maintained with all other early years providers, in order to ensure coherence of learning

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 extend children's opportunities to develop physical skills by ensuring that they have access to equipment for climbing, balancing and sliding

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 use self-evaluation, including the views of parents and children, to contribute to the monitoring and assessment of the strengths and areas for development of the provision.

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who attend

The childminder has a sound awareness of the learning and development requirements. During a settling-in period she asks parents for information on what their child already knows and can do. This is a 'getting to know me' record and includes questions under the prime areas of learning. The childminder then puts this at the front of her own record of assessment which is kept in a folder for each child and includes photographs, observations and a tracking document so that she can determine the child's stage of development. However, the childminder does not plan with full effect in accordance with each child's interests and stage of development so that they make best progress to next learning steps. The childminder supports children sufficiently so that they develop skills in readiness for nursery class and school. She is aware of the requirement to provide parents with a progress check at age two.

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who attend

Children are settled and secure in the childminder's care and they express themselves confidently. The childminder promotes their language development well. When she talks with young children they babble and they repeat words that the childminder says. In order to support their learning, the childminder repeats single words that they say back to them. She is encouraging young children to put two words together. Older children speak clearly using full sentences. The childminder encourages children's interest in books. Young children practise manipulative skills as they explore books because they lift flaps and slide covers to reveal pictures underneath. They develop hand-to-eye coordination and learn to match shapes because they post them into sorters, and they gain an awareness of different sizes because they stack beakers. Older children count beyond 20 but the childminder identifies that they are still learning to count objects with one-to-one

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who attend

correspondence. She encourages children to sort objects by colour into small groups and then count each group. Older children's pencil control is good. They hold writing materials with a two-finger and thumb grip and they are able to draw recognisable pictures.

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who attend

Children enjoy playing with paint, glue, dough and sand. The childminder asks if they would like to make Easter baskets and cards and younger and older children sit together at the large kitchen table. Flat pieces of card have been prepared so that they can be folded and then stuck to make the baskets. The oldest early years children are interested in looking at the instruction sheet showing how this should be done. However, the childminder has not given full consideration to adapting this activity so that younger children can enjoy exploring their senses and extending their creativity in a different way. Consequently, younger children lose interest and their learning is not well supported.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are happy and confident, and the relationship with the childminder and with the assistant is positive. Children's emotional security is addressed well initially because parents are asked to settle their child in gradually. Children's move to other early years settings and reception class in school is addressed sufficiently because their social development is addressed by meeting with other childminders and the children they care for. Children behave well and the childminder identifies that a main strategy for managing behaviour is positive reinforcement, in order to address their self-esteem. Children's independence is promoted sufficiently. For example, they choose from toys that are set out by the childminder and they are aware of toys kept in outdoor storage. They address their own self-care needs. Resources are safe and meet children's learning and development needs appropriately.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The childminder creates a welcoming environment for children and their parents. Information obtained from parents enables her to address children's individual care needs satisfactorily. Information on the childminder's practice with regard to safety, illness and accidents is shared with parents. Children's good health is protected sufficiently because the childminder encourages them to be physically active. In the childminder's garden they play ball games and learn to pedal and steer wheeled toys. However, the childminder does not provide any climbing equipment, slides or swings. She does not currently take children to toddler groups or the park where they would be able to access this equipment and so children's physical development is not fully maximised. Children's welfare is addressed satisfactorily because the childminder ensures that her home is safe and secure. They learn how to keep themselves safe, for example, they learn how to cross the road safety

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

and they practise the fire drill. Parents provide suitably healthy food for their children.

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provision

The childminder is aware of the signs of abuse and neglect and her responsibilities to follow the Local Safeguarding Children Board referral procedures if she is concerned about a child. She provides a safeguarding policy for parents. However, she is not aware of the Government's statutory guidance 'Working Together to Safeguard Children', and the safeguarding policy does not include the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting. This is a breach of requirements, however, it is considered that this does not have a direct impact on children's welfare because the childminder is aware of the safeguarding procedures that she must follow. This inspection took place following an investigation conducted by Ofsted because there had been an allegation that a child had been left behind when the childminder and/or her assistant had returned home from a trip to school. The outcome of this investigation was that there had been breaches of

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provision

requirements with regard to acting on the procedure to be followed if a child goes missing, deployment of staff and supervision of children, ensuring that parents are aware of the times when the assistant has sole charge of the children, and ensuring that the record of attendance is accurately maintained. At the time of this inspection it was found that these actions have been satisfactorily addressed in order to safeguard children. The childminder and her assistant provide a policy on a child who may go missing and this includes required detail. Parents sign a form giving permission for the assistant to have sole charge of the children and this includes details of the times that this will be put into practice. Procedures for walking with a group of children are consistently put into practice by the childminder and the assistant to ensure that children are supervised at all times. This means that early years children sit in a pushchair or hold onto the pushchair and older

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provision

school-age children walk in front. A record of attendance includes the hours of attendance for all children. Necessary checks for the childminder, assistant and adult family members have been completed and the childminder ensures that children are never left unsupervised with a person who has not been vetted.

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provision

The childminder uses her experience and knowledge on how children develop and learn to ensure that children make satisfactory progress, although planning for future learning is not fully effective. Children's best interests are served because she makes sure that her first aid certificate remains current, keeps her knowledge on local safeguarding procedures up to date, and discusses practice issues with other childminders. However, review of her provision in order to ensure continuous improvement is not embedded in the childminder's practice. Required documentation is kept in satisfactory order to support children's safety and welfare.

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provision

The partnership with parents promotes children's care and learning needs appropriately. The childminder is aware of the importance of obtaining as much information as possible about each child's individual needs from parents, and agreeing with them how they can work together to meet these needs. A range of written policies are provided for parents and most of these contain required information and appropriately reflect the childminder's practice. Children on roll also attend other early years provisions and the childminder has developed a strong link with one other provider in order to address continuity of care and learning for children. However, this is not the case with all other providers and so continuity, in order to ensure best progress for children, is not fully effective. Resources are well maintained and meet children's needs sufficiently.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY277222 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 957285 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 16

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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